675. And the tenth part of the city fell.- That this signifies that no truths of doctrine existed any longer in those who remained, is evident from the signification of ten, as denoting all persons and all things, also many persons and many things; and of the tenth part, as denoting all and much, concerning which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of city, as denoting doctrine, and also the truth of doctrine, for doctrine, in order to be the doctrine of the church, must consist of truths from the Word (that a city signifies doctrine may be seen above, n. 223); and from the signification of to fall, as denoting to be separated, consequently not to exist; for to be separated and not to exist is said of truths of doctrine, while to fall is predicated of a city.

[2] For every particular thing has its own proper and analogous expression, according to the correspondence of the subject in the natural sense and of the subject in the spiritual sense; and the subject in the natural sense here is a city, and the subject in the spiritual sense is the truth of doctrine. That no truths existed with those who remained, follows from what was said in the preceding article, namely, that, when the good were removed from the society in which the good and evil were intermingled, and were taken up into heaven, then, truths of doctrine no longer remained with the evil, because they were cut off from that communication with the good by which they could be as it were in truths as to their external and thus speak concerning truths from doctrine.

[3] For in the spiritual world there is a communication of affections, and thence of thoughts; and from such communication, one is held by another, thus all in the same society are mutually held in a similar affection, consequently in a similar good; so also the evil are held by the good. But these evil were of such a nature as to be able to put on an external appearance of sanctity, piety, intelligence, and zeal for the church and its doctrine; and also in the life an appearance of being just and sincere from the heart, although interiorly in themselves they had none of these things. These are the evil, with whom truths of doctrine no longer existed, after the good meant by the two witnesses who ascended by command into heaven, had been taken away.

[4] It is to be observed that there were in the spiritual world many societies formed of such, and that these societies taken together are meant by the first heaven (prius coelum) which passed away (Apoc. 21:1).

In regard to these societies or this heaven, many things have been related in the small work concerning the Last Judgment. Such of the evil as are described above, and, at the same time, the good associated with them, were in those societies, and so long as they were united in one society, the evil as to externals appeared like the good, but when they were separated, then the external good in them, which was only simulated and hypocritical, was separated, and their interiors, which were infernal, abounding with mere evils and falsities therefrom were laid open. Such a separation, and such a consequent state existed in the spiritual world a little before the Last Judgment, this, therefore, is the state which is here described; for the subject here treated of is the last time of the church, when a general judgment is at hand.

[5] That ten signifies all persons and all things, and also many persons and many things, is evident from passages in the Word where that number occurs.

As in Moses:

Jehovah "hath commanded you his covenant, which he covenanted with you to do, the ten words, which he wrote upon the two tables of stone" (Deuteronomy 4:13).

And again:

"Jehovah wrote upon the tables, according to the former writing, the ten words which he spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire." (Deuteronomy 10:4).

There were ten words or ten commandments forming the decalogue, because ten signifies all things, and therefore by ten words is meant the law in its whole extent.

[6] Since ten signifies all persons, therefore the Lord compared the kingdom of the heavens to ten virgins having lamps, going forth to meet the bridegroom, of whom five were wise (prudentes) and five foolish" (Matthew 25:1, 2, and following verses). The ten virgins to whom the kingdom of the heavens is likened signify all who are of the church, ten signifying all, and virgins the church. But five signifies some or some part, for some of [the virgins] were wise and some foolish. Such is the signification of the number five in the Word. Lamps signify knowledges of truth and good, in this case, from the Word, also, the truths of doctrine and of faith. Oil signifies the good of love and of charity; the bridegroom means the Lord, and the wedding heaven and the church, which are called a wedding from the marriage of good and truth. And because where that marriage does not exist, there neither heaven nor the church exists, therefore those are called foolish who know the truths of faith and have not the good of love, while those who possess this are called wise. For, as stated, lamps there denote the truths of faith, and oil, the good of love. Virgins signify the church, because virgin and daughter, in the Word, signify the affection for good and truth; and a church is a church from that affection. For this reason mention is made in very many places of the virgin or the daughter of Zion, the virgin or daughter of Jerusalem, the virgin and daughter of Israel and of Judah, and by these expressions the church is everywhere meant.

[7] Whereas ten signifies all and many, therefore the Lord said of the nobleman who went into a far country, that "he called his ten servants, and gave them ten pounds (minas) to trade with. And after they had traded, one said that his pound had gained ten pounds; to him he said, thou shalt have power over ten cities; and the second said, thy pound hath made five pounds; to him he said, be thou over five cities; and of the third, who laid his pound in a napkin, and did not trade with it, he said, take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds" (Luke 19:12-14, 16-20, 24). The numbers ten and five are also used here, because ten signifies all persons and all things, and five signifies some persons and some thing. The ten servants, whom the nobleman called to himself when he went into a far country, mean all who are in the world, and in particular, all who are of the church. For by the nobleman is meant the Lord, and by His departure into a far country is meant His departure out of the world, and His apparent absence. By the ten pounds which He gave to the ten servants to trade with are signified all the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, with the power to perceive them; for a pound [mina], which was silver and money, signifies knowledges of truth and the power to perceive them, and to trade signifies to procure intelligence and wisdom by means of these; those who procure for themselves much, are meant by the servant who from a pound gained ten pounds; and those who procure for themselves some, are meant by him who from a pound gained five pounds. The cities which are there said to be given to them signify the truths of doctrine, and possessing them signifies intelligence and wisdom, and life and felicity therefrom; the signification of ten cities and five cities is therefore evident. Because those who procure for themselves nothing of intelligence are like the foolish virgins spoken of above, who possess truths in the memory only, and not in the life, therefore they are deprived of these after their departure out of this world; but those who possess truths both in the life and in the memory, become rich in intelligence to eternity, and therefore it is said, that they should take the pound from him who had gained nothing with it, and give it to him who had ten pounds.

[8] The case is similar with those to whom talents were given, to one five, to another two, and to a third one; the first of whom from his five talents gained other five; and the second from two talents gained other two; and the third hid his talent in the earth, of whom the Lord said, take from him that hath not traded and gained, and give to him that hath ten talents,

"for to every one that hath shall be given, that he may abound, and from him who hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath" (Matthew 25:14-30).

Five and ten here also signify something and much, and thus, that the first from some knowledges of truth and good procured for himself much wisdom. It is taken away from him who has procured nothing of intelligence for himself, and given to him who has much, because when a man, after death, becomes a spirit, he carries with him every single thing that he has drawn from the Word, and from the doctrine of the church. But those who by means of these have procured nothing of intelligence for themselves, are interiorly evil, and therefore pervert the truths and goods of heaven and the church - which they possessed in the memory only - for the purpose of ruling over and doing evil to the simple-good who are in the ultimate heaven. This is the reason why those truths and goods are taken away from them, and given to those who have many, since the latter do not pervert them, but perform uses with them.

[9] That those who in the world do not procure for themselves spiritual intelligence by means of knowledges of truth and good from the Word, are evil, is evident from this fact, that all are born into evils of every kind, and that these cannot be removed, except by means of Divine truths from the Word, that is, by the application of these to uses, and thus to reception in the life. To those therefore who have gained, it is said, "Good and faithful servants, ye have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things, enter ye into the joy of your Lord" (verses 21, 23); and to him who had gained nothing, "Cast ye out the unprofitable servant into outer darkness, there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth" (verse 30).

[10] Because ten signifies all and much, that number is therefore used by the Lord in other passages, where all and much is to be understood, as of the woman having ten pieces of silver (drachmas); if she lost one piece, would she not light a candle and sweep the house, and seek carefully till she found it? (Luke 15:8). Ten here signifies much. This is said of a woman, and of her lighting a candle, and sweeping the house, on account of the spiritual sense in every detail of the Word. In that sense woman signifies the church as to the affection for truth, thus also, affection for the truth which pertains to the church. A piece of silver (drachma) signifies truth, and losing the piece of silver signifies to lose one of the truths or of the cognitions of truth. Lighting a candle signifies self-examination from affection; sweeping the house signifies to go over the whole mind, and to examine everything therein, where the truth lies hidden. Such is the spiritual sense of these words. A hundred like ten signifies much; therefore a similar parable speaks of a hundred sheep, if one were lost (Matthew 18:12, 13; Luke 15:3-7).

[11] Ten signifies all and much also in the following passages.

In Isaiah:

"Many houses, great and fair, shall be a devastation, without inhabitant; for ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath" (5:9, 10).

This is said of the desolation of truth with those who are of the church; many houses which shall be a desolation signify the men of the church, in particular these as to truths from good; great and fair, that is, houses, signify the affection for good and the understanding of truth; for great is used in reference to good and affection for it, and fair is used in reference to truth and the understanding of it. Ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath signifies that in all things pertaining to the church with man, there is scarcely any truth from good, for bath has a signification similar to that of wine, that is, truth from good; therefore ten acres of vineyard signify all things of the church with man.

[12] In Moses:

If ye will go contrary to me, "I will break the staff of bread, that ten women shall bake your bread in one oven; and I will deliver your bread by weight" (Leviticus 26:23, 26).

To break the staff of bread signifies to take away spiritual food, and thus spiritual nourishment; for bread signifies everything that nourishes the soul, and in particular the good of love, therefore by ten women shall bake your bread in one oven is signified that in all things of the church with man there is so little of good and truth, as to be scarcely anything. Ten women signify all things of the church; bread signifies good and truth which nourish the soul; and oven signifies where spiritual food is prepared, thus the man in whom it is; to deliver the bread by weight signifies the failure and want of such things as spiritually nourish.

[13] In Zechariah:

"Many peoples and numerous nations shall come to seek Jehovah Zebaoth in Jerusalem, and to supplicate the faces of Jehovah; in those days ten men out of all the tongues of the nations shall take hold of the skirt of a man that is a Jew, saying, we will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you" (8:22, 23).

These things are said concerning the calling together of the nations and their admission to the church by the Lord. Ten men out of all tongues signify all of whatever religion, that is those who come to seek Jehovah Zebaoth in Jerusalem, in other words, who wish to be added to the church, and to confess the Lord; therefore ten men denote all such, and the tongues of the nations their religions. But this together with the rest of the passage may be seen explained above (n. 433:26), where it is shewn that Jerusalem does not mean Jerusalem, nor "Jew" any Jew.

[14] In Amos:

"Jehovah said, I hate the pride of Jacob, and his palaces, therefore I will shut up the city, and the fulness thereof; if there be left ten men in one house they shall die" (6:8, 9).

The pride of Jacob, and his palaces, which Jehovah hates, signify the love and faith of falsity with those who are of the church, pride signifies the love of falsity, and palaces signify falsities themselves, and these are called palaces because they belong to the proud, and because their falsities are embellished in the external form, so as to appear magnificent, although they are most vile, like cottages full of rubbish and filth. By shutting up the city and the fulness thereof is signified to condemn the doctrine, because it is full of and possessed by falsities of evil, city denoting doctrine, and fulness the falsities of evil. If there be left ten men in one house they shall die, signifies therefore that all truths of good with every one shall perish, ten men denoting all truths, house man as to good, while to die denotes to perish.

[15] In Zechariah:

The prophet saw a flying roll, "the length thereof twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits; this is the curse that goeth forth over the faces of the whole earth" (5:2, 3).

The flying roll, which signified the curse that goeth forth over the faces of the whole earth, was in length twenty cubits, and in breadth ten, because twenty and ten signify all, in this place, all good changed into evil, and all truth into falsity, twenty being said of good and everything belonging to it, and ten of truth and everything belonging to it; length also signifies good, and breadth truth, as may be seen above (n. 355:28, 627:4, 629:4, and in Heaven and Hell 197).

[16] Because ten signifies all things and many things, therefore, ten times signifies so often, how often, and always, in the following passages.

In Daniel:

"Among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; in every word of wisdom and intelligence, which the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the astrologers and diviners that were in all his kingdom" (1:19, 20).

In Moses:

"All the men, who have seen my glory and my signs, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and who tempted me these ten times, shall not see the land" (Numbers 14:22, 23).

In Job:

"Ten times have ye reproached me, ye are not ashamed, ye harden yourselves" (19:3).

[17] Ten times, in these passages, signifies at all times or always, and so often, how often. In Daniel and the Apocalypse, horns are attributed to the beasts, to some ten, to some seven, and to some three, and by the horns of the beasts is signified the power of falsity against truth, and of evil against good, and by ten horns, the highest power.

In Daniel:

"The fourth beast" coming up out of the sea "had ten horns; as to the ten horns out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise" (7:7, 20, 24).

The ten horns of the beast here signify the highest power of falsity against truth; ten kings signify falsities in their whole extent, and kingdom signifies that church perverted.

In the Apocalypse:

"The dragon had seven heads and ten horns, and upon the heads seven diadems" (12:3).

Again:

The beast coming up out of the sea "had seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten diadems" (13:1).

And again:

"The woman sitting upon the scarlet beast full of names of blasphemy, had seven heads and ten horns; the ten horns, which thou sawest, are ten kings, which have not yet received a kingdom; yet they shall receive power as kings one hour with the beast" (17:3, 7, 12).

The signification of the particulars of these passages will be seen in the explanations below.

[18] Because ten signifies all persons and all things, it follows that the tenth part signifies everything. Tenths and tithings derived their origin from this, and signified that everything was holy and blessed when the tenth part of the threshing floor and of the wine-press, or of the corn and the wine, was given to the Levites; similarly for the Levites, when the tenth part was again tithed and given to Aaron. It is thus written concerning this in the Word:

"Tithing thou shalt tithe all the produce of thy seed, which is brought forth into the field year by year" (Deuteronomy 14:22).

And again:

"Say unto the Levites, that the tenths shall be given to them for an inheritance, and that they shall take therefrom a heave-offering to Jehovah, tenths of the tenths, and this from the corn of the threshing floor, and from the fulness of the wine-press; and the tenth of the tenth shall they give to Aaron the priest" (Numbers 18:24-28).

[19] That the tenths signified blessings in all things, thus that everything was holy and blessed, is evident in Malachi:

"Bring all the tenths to the treasure house, that there may be food in my house; then prove ye me in this, if I will not open to you the windows of heaven, and pour out a blessing upon you, until there shall not be room enough" (3:10).

To open the windows and pour out a blessing signifies the Divine influx, which is the source of intelligence and eternal life; the same is signified by rain (above, n. 644); this is properly meant by the blessing which would be given if the tenths were brought; tithes therefore signify that everything was thus blest.

"In order that everything that Abraham took from his enemies might be blessed it is said, that he gave to Melchisedek, who was king in Salem, and at the same time priest to God most high, tenths of all" (Genesis 14:18, 19).

Similarly Jacob promised

"that if he should return in peace unto the house of his father, of everything that Jehovah gave him, he would give a tenth unto Him" (Genesis 28:21, 22).

From these passages, and many others, the signification of ten and the tenth part in the Word is evident.

[20] The reason why ten signifies all things, is derived from heaven itself; for heaven in the whole and every part has reference to man, and therefore it is called the Grand Man (Maximus Homo). All the forces of the life of that Grand Man or of heaven terminate in the two hands and two feet, and the hands terminate in ten fingers, the feet in ten toes; therefore all things of man, as to power and support, are finally brought together into ten fingers and toes, hence these signify all things pertaining to him; and moreover ultimates, in the Word, signify all things.

627. And there was given to me a reed like a staff.- That this signifies the mode of visitation, that is, of exploring the quality of the church as to truth and as to good, is evident from the signification of a reed, which denotes the means by which quality is explored; for by measuring is signified to explore, and by measure, the quality of a thing. The reed, therefore, by means of which the temple and the altar were measured, as now follows, or the measuring reed, signifies the mode of exploring quality. The mode of exploring the quality of the church as to truth and as to good is denoted, because, according to what follows, the temple and the altar were measured and those adoring therein, which signifies the church as to truth and as to good, and therefore as to worship.

[2] The reed also signifies visitation, because visitation is the exploration of the quality of the men of the church, and because visitation precedes a Last Judgment, which is afterwards treated of. The nature of that visitation or exploration is evident from the visitation in Sodom. Angels were first sent there, and by means of them visitation or exploration was made in regard to the quality of their reception, that is, in regard to the quality of the reception of Divine Truth and Divine Good, for those angels represented the Lord as to the proceeding Divine; and after its exploration - because none in Sodom except Lot desired to receive them but wished to do them injury - their destruction came, which means their final judgment.

[3] The reason why the measurement was taken by means of a reed, is, that a reed or cane signifies Divine Truth in the ultimate of order, and a staff, which the reed resembled, signifies power, and by means of truth in the ultimate of order and its power, all visitation or exploration takes place. For all truths even from primaries (primis) are simultaneous, or co-exist in the ultimate; therefore all things effected from the Divine take place from primaries by means of ultimates, in this case visitation or exploration, and this truth is signified by a reed or cane.

[4] Similarly it is said in the Apocalypse that one of the seven angels had a golden reed, with which he measured the city Jerusalem, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof; and that he measured the city with a reed twelve thousand furlongs (Apoc. 21:15, 16). And in Ezekiel it is said that in the hand of the angel there was a line of flax and a measuring reed; the reed was of six cubits, and with it he measured the length, the breadth, and the height of the building, the gate, the porch, the court, the temple, and many other things (40:3, 5, 6, 8, 11, 13, 17, and following verses; 41:1-5, 13, 14, 22; 42:1 to end). That the measuring reed here also means the mode of exploring the church in regard to truth and good, is evident from this fact, that the angel measured the length, breadth, and height of the temple in detail. And by length is signified good, by breadth, truth, and by height, the degrees of good and truth from highest or inmost to lowest or ultimate things. Concerning this signification of length and breadth, see Heaven and Hell 197). That a reed signifies truth in ultimates, by means of which exploration takes place, is also evident from the fact that there was a line of flax in the hand of the angel, which also signifies truth; similarly from the length of the reed being six cubits, six signifying the same as three, that is, truths in their entire compass, as may be seen above (n. 384, 532). That to measure signifies to explore the quality of a thing, will be seen in the following article.

[5] Ultimate truth, or truth in the ultimate of order, means sensual truth, such as truth is in the sense of the letter of the Word to those who are merely sensual. Divine Truth in its descent proceeds according to degrees, from the highest or inmost to the lowest or ultimate. Divine Truth in the highest degree is such as the Divine is that goes forth immediately from the Lord, thus the Divine Truth above the heavens, and this, being infinite, cannot come to the perception of any angel. But the Divine Truth of the first degree is that which comes to the perception of the angels of the inmost or third heaven, and is called the celestial Divine Truth; from this comes the wisdom of those angels. The Divine Truth of the second degree is that which comes to the perception of the angels of the middle or second heaven, and is the cause of their wisdom and intelligence; it is called spiritual Divine Truth. The Divine Truth of the third degree is that which comes to the perception of the angels of the ultimate or first heaven, and is the source of their intelligence and knowledge (scientia); it is called celestial-natural and spiritual-natural Divine Truth. But the Divine Truth of the fourth degree is that which comes to the perception of the men of the church living in the world; it is the source of their intelligence and knowledge; this is called natural Divine Truth, and the ultimate of this is called sensual Divine Truth.

[6] These Divine truths, according to their degrees in order, are in the Word, and the Divine Truth in the ultimate degree, or in the ultimate of order, is such as the Divine Truth is in the sense of the letter of the Word, which is for children and the very simple, and these are sensual. It is this Divine Truth that is signified by a reed or cane and because explorations with every one take place by means of this ultimate Divine Truth, as stated above, therefore measurements and weights, in the representative churches, were taken by means of reeds or canes, which signify that Divine Truth. That measurements were taken by means of reeds, has been shown just above; that weights were calculated by means of the same, is evident in Isaiah, "They weigh silver with a reed" (46:6).

[7] Since a reed signifies truth in the ultimates, suitable for the simple and children, who are not spiritual but sensual-natural, therefore it is also said in Isaiah,

"A bruised reed will he not break, and smoking flax will he not quench, and he will bring forth truth into judgment" (42:3).

The subject here is the Lord. He will not break the bruised reed signifies that He will not hurt sensual Divine Truth with the simple and children. The smoking flax will he not quench signifies that He will not destroy the Divine Truth which with the simple and children begins to live from a little good of love; for flax denotes truth, and smoking denotes that it lives from some little degree of love. And because both the reed and the flax signify truth, therefore it is also said of the Lord, that He will bring forth truth into judgment, which means, that He will bring forth intelligence in them, judgment denoting intelligence.

[8] A reed also signifies sensual or ultimate truth, such as pertains to natural men, even the evil; as in the same prophet:

"The dry place shall become a pool, and there shall be grass instead of the reed and rush" (35:7).

This is said concerning the establishment of the church by the Lord. That those who before had no intelligence shall then come into the possession of it by means of spiritual Divine Truth, is signified by the dry place shall become a pool. That then there shall be knowledge (scientia) by means of natural Divine Truth for those who previously possessed only sensual truth is signified by grass, instead of the reed and rush, grass denoting knowledge from a spiritual origin, or that by means of which spiritual truth is confirmed, while reed and rush denote knowledge from a sensual origin, or that by means of which the fallacies of the senses are confirmed. This latter knowledge considered in itself is only the lowest natural knowledge (scientia), which must be designated material and corporeal, in which there is little or nothing of life.

[9] Again:

"The streams shall recede, the rivers of Egypt shall be diminished and dried up, the reed and the flag shall wither" (19:6).

These words, in the spiritual sense, mean that all understanding of Divine Truth will perish. The streams shall recede, signifies that everything connected with spiritual intelligence will depart. The rivers of Egypt shall be diminished and dried up, signifies that everything of natural intelligence shall perish. The reed and the flag shall wither, signifies that ultimate truth, called sensual and which is merely scientific, will vanish. Streams and rivers denote those things that pertain to intelligence, Egypt denotes the Natural, reed and flag, denote truth or the sensual-Scientific, and to recede, to be diminished, to be dried up, and to wither, denote to perish and disappear.

[10] Again:

"Thou hast trusted on the staff of this bruised reed, on Egypt, upon which, when a man leaneth, it entereth into his hand, and pierceth it; so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust on him" (Isaiah 36:6).

Egypt signifies the natural man separated from the spiritual, and the scientific thereof, and the latter, when separated from the intelligence of the spiritual man, becomes foolish, and is used to confirm evils of every kind; it is therefore a false scientific. This then is what is called the staff of a bruised reed; reed, as was said, denoting truth in the ultimate of order, which is sensual-scientific; its being bruised, signifies that it is broken and does not cohere with any interior truth so as to produce consistency; staff denotes the power therefrom of perceiving and reasoning about truths. This then is the meaning of "when a man leaneth upon it, it entereth into his hand, and pierceth it." To lean upon that staff, denotes to trust in one's own power of perceiving truths, and of reasoning about them from the proprium; while to enter into the hand and pierce it, signifies to destroy all intellectual power, and to see and lay hold of mere falsities instead of truths. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust on him, signifies that such is the natural man, separated from the spiritual, in regard to its scientifics, intelligence therefrom, and reasoning from that intelligence.

[11] So in Job:

"Let my shoulder blade fall from the shoulder, and mine arm be thence broken by a reed, because the dread of the destruction of God is upon me, and by reason of his majesty I have no power. Have I made gold my hope, and said to pure gold, My confidence?" (31:22-24).

Here also the subject is concerning the confidence of [man's] own intelligence, from which, as declared in these words in their spiritual sense, nothing of truth can be seen, but mere falsity which does not cohere with any truth. Non-coherence is signified by let my shoulder blade fall from the shoulder, and my arm be thence broken by a reed; the shoulder blade, the shoulder, and the arm, signify power, here, the power to understand and perceive truth. To fall from the shoulder, and to be broken by a reed, signifies to be cut off from the spiritual power of perceiving truth, and to be consequently deceived by the sensual-corporeal man, and to perish by means of falsity. Reed denotes truth in the ultimate of order, which is called sensual-scientific, and which becomes mere falsity when it is of the natural man alone separated from the spiritual. The dread of the destruction of God signifies the loss of the understanding of all truth; by reason of his majesty to have no power, signifies that nothing pertaining to the understanding and perception of truth is from man's proprium, but all from God. To make gold a hope, and to say to pure gold, My confidence, signifies that he did not trust in himself, so as to imagine that anything of good was from himself.

[12] In Ezekiel:

"In order that all the inhabitants of Egypt may know that I am Jehovah, because they have been a staff of a reed to the house of Israel; when they took hold of thee by the hand thou didst break, and didst rend through all their shoulder; and when they leaned upon thee, thou brakest, and madest all their loins to be at a stand" (29:6, 7).

Things similar to those above are here said concerning Egypt. Egypt in this place also signifies the natural man separated from the spiritual, and also its knowledge, which, when applied to evils, is mere falsity. These things are said concerning those in the church who trust in their own intelligence. The sons of Israel signify those who are of the church; their confidence is signified by the staff of a reed; that all power to perceive truth consequently perished with them, is signified by the words, when they took hold of thee by the hand, thou didst break and didst rend through all their shoulder, the shoulder denoting the power or faculty of understanding truth; the loss of this is signified by, "when they leaned upon thee, thou brakest." That consequently all the good of love and charity was destroyed and dissipated, is signified by, "thou madest all their loins to be at a stand," loins denoting the marriage of truth and good, in this case that truth was not united to good. Truth united to good makes the good of love and charity, for all the good of love and charity is formed by truths.

[13] So in David:

"Rebuke the wild beast of the reed" or cane, "the congregation of the strong, among the calves of the people; treading upon plates of silver, he hath scattered the peoples, he desireth wars; the fat ones shall come out of Egypt, Ethiopia shall stretch out quickly her hands to God" (Psalm 68:30, 31).

Here the subject is the kingdom of the Lord. To beware of false knowledge (scientificum), or knowledge out of the natural man separated from the spiritual falsely applied, is meant by, rebuke the wild beast of the reed, or cane. Because those knowledges, proceeding as they do from the fallacies of the senses, strongly persuade, they are called the congregation of the strong. The calves of the people denote the goods of the church in the natural man; the plates of silver denote the truths of the church; to tread upon and disperse denotes to destroy and dissipate, and this is done by those who are natural and sensual, and who think naturally and sensually, and not at the same time spiritually, thus who think from the natural and sensual man separated from the spiritual; this man is meant by the wild beast of the reed, or cane. To desire wars, signifies reasonings against truths; fat ones from Egypt and Ethiopia denote those who are in the knowledge (scientia) of spiritual things, and in the cognitions of truth and good, who will draw near to the kingdom of the Lord, because they are in light from the spiritual man.

[14] So in the First Book of Kings:

"Jehovah shall smite Israel as a reed noddeth in the waters, and he shall root up Israel out of this good land" (14:15).

The vastation of the church with the sons of Israel is compared to the nodding of a reed or cane in the waters, because the reed or cane signifies the truth of the sensual man, which is ultimate truth, and when this truth is separated from the light of the spiritual man it is falsity. For the sensual man derives every thing which it possesses from appearances in the world, and therefore reasonings from these concerning spiritual things are pure fallacies and from fallacies come falsities. What the fallacies of the senses are in spiritual things, and that falsities proceed therefrom, may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 53); also in the explanation above (n. 575); and that sensual scientifics are pure fallacies, when the sensual man reasons from them (n. 569, 581); also, what the Sensual is, and the quality of the sensual man, may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 50).

[15] It is said in the Evangelists, that they placed a reed in the right hand of the Lord, and that afterwards they took the reed, and smote Him with it on the head (Matthew 27:29, 30; Mark 15:19); and also, that they put a sponge upon the reed and gave Him vinegar to drink (Matthew 27:48; Mark 15:36).

Those who have no knowledge of the spiritual sense of the Word may suppose that these and many other things related concerning the passion of the Lord, refer merely to common modes of derision; for they placed a crown of thorns upon His head, they parted His garments among them but not the tunic, and bent the knee before Him in mockery; also, as stated here, they placed a reed in His right hand and afterwards smote His head with it; they also filled a sponge with vinegar, or myrrhed wine, and placed it upon a reed, and gave Him to drink.

[16] But it must be understood that every thing related concerning the passion of the Lord, signifies the mockery of Divine Truth, and therefore the falsification and adulteration of the Word, because the Lord, when in the world, was the Divine Truth itself, which is the Word in the church. For this reason He permitted the Jews to treat Him in the same way that they treated Divine Truth, or the Word, by its falsification and adulteration; for they applied every thing in the Word to their own loves, and ridiculed every truth that did not agree with their loves, just as they did the Messiah Himself, because He did not become king over the whole world, and exalt them, according to their interpretation and religion, in glory above all peoples and nations. That every thing related concerning the passion of the Lord signifies such things, may be seen above (n. 64, 83, 195). By their placing a reed in the hand of the Lord and afterwards smiting His head with it, is signified that they falsified the Divine Truth or the Word, and utterly derided Divine wisdom and the understanding of truth. By a reed is signified falsity in extremes, as above, and by smiting the head is signified to reject and deride Divine wisdom and the understanding of truth, for the head of the Lord signifies Divine wisdom; and because they gave the Lord vinegar to drink, which signifies what is falsified, therefore they also filled a sponge with it, and placed it upon a reed, by which is signified falsities in extremes, which is falsity sustaining.